Test executive with external process isolation for user code modules

A carrier medium comprising program instructions operable to:

• execute a test executive sequence, wherein the test executive sequence comprises a plurality of test executive steps, wherein each test executive step includes control functionality, and wherein at least a subset of the test executive steps call a user-supplied code module;
• wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises executing the control functionality of each of the plurality of test executive steps in a first process;
• wherein the plurality of test executive steps includes a first test executive step that calls a first user-supplied code module;
• wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises executing the first user-supplied code module called by the first test executive step in a second process.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• including a plurality of test executive steps in a test executive sequence in response to user input, wherein each test executive step includes control functionality implemented by a test executive engine;
• configuring each of the test executive steps to call a user-supplied code module in response to user input;
• and
• executing the test executive sequence under control of the test executive engine, wherein said executing comprises the test executive engine executing each of the test executive steps in the test executive sequence;
• wherein for each test executive step in at least a subset of the test executive steps in the test executive sequence, the test executive engine is operable to:
• execute the control functionality of the test executive step in a first process;
• and
• invoke the user-supplied code module called by the test executive step for execution in a different process other than the first process.

A system comprising:

• a sequence editor;
• a test executive engine;
• a host computer operable to execute the sequence editor and the test executive engine;
• and
• a unit under test (UUT) coupled to the host computer;
• wherein the host computer is operable to execute the sequence editor to create a test executive sequence for testing the UUT, wherein said creating the test executive sequence comprises including a plurality of test executive steps in the test executive sequence in response to user input to the sequence editor, wherein each test executive step includes control functionality implemented by the test executive engine, wherein said creating the test executive sequence further comprises configuring each of the test executive steps to call a user-supplied code module in response to user input to the sequence editor;
• wherein the host computer is further operable to execute the test executive engine, wherein the test executive engine is operable to control execution of the test executive sequence, wherein said controlling execution of the test executive sequence comprises causing each of the test executive steps in the test executive sequence to be executed on the host computer;
• wherein for each test executive step in at least a subset of the test executive steps in the test executive sequence, the test executive engine is operable to:
• execute the control functionality of the test executive step on the host computer in a first process;
• and
• invoke the user-supplied code module called by the test executive step for execution on the host computer in a different process other than the first process.